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Leslee said Lauren had a fever that wouldn’t break. After a blood test, doctors admitted her to Children’s Hospital and Medical Center.

“Lauren walked into Children's and couldn't figure out why they were admitting her. She wasn't that sick,” Leslee said.

On Dec. 12, Lauren was diagnosed with acute myelocytic leukemia. She started a brutal cycle of surgery, chemotherapy and recovery. Two days later, she was placed in intensive care.

“The leukemia cells had burst in her lungs, and she had pneumonia, and she was getting really sick rapidly,” Leslee said.

Lauren received a transfusion of blood every other day, something that ultimately saved her life.

“Especially the red blood cells -- when she would get them, she would perk up and feel a lot better,” Leslee said.

“In circumstances like Lauren's, it helped get her through the chemotherapy and kept her life going when she needed it most,” Phil Hacker, Lauren’s father, said.

Lauren spent the next six months in the hospital healing, even getting to meet a celebrity.

“Taylor Swift, it was so cool!” Lauren said.

Lauren finally went home six months after her diagnosis. Now, at 12 years old, Lauren hopes more will donate blood and give others, like her, a second chance at life.

“Well, the people who think they shouldn't, should because it saves lives,” Lauren Hacker said.

It’s free to help others. Just stop by the American Red Cross Holiday Blood Drive Monday. There are three places to donate: the Marriott Regency in Omaha, the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs and Wildness Ridge in Lincoln. The Marriott and Mid-America Center are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Wilderness Ridge is open from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, but you can always make an appointment by calling 1-800-RED CROSS. In Omaha and Council Bluffs, there will be free bagels and donuts for breakfast and pizza for lunch and dinner.